Machine for making prewelt shoes



y 1954 w. A. GROSSMAN 2,679,058

MACHINE FOR MAKING PREWELT SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 16, 1949 3noentor M'llzam A. arossm an Gttomegs y 1954 w. A. GROSSMAN 2,579,058

mcamzmmz MAKING PREWELT SHOES Filed Feb. 16, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :r a bmcrzmwwrl lll Zhwentor WZZlzam A. Groxman attorneys Patented May 25, 1954 MACHINE FOR MAKING PREWELT SHOES William A. Grossman, Reading, Pa., assignor of one-half to Leroy J. Harbach, Reading, Pa.

Application February 16, 1949, Serial No. 76,815

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to the manufacture of boots and shoes, and has particular reference to a machine for lasting pre-welted shoes, that is, shoes in the manufacture of which a welt is stitched to the margin of the upper before the upper is lasted.

In many conventional types of lasting machines, one or more clamping plates are used to tightly embrace the upper while the sole is attached thereto. of such clamping plates is that they are usually cumbersome and complicated in construction. Furthermore, they are generally adaptable for lasting only one size of shoe, and when a differ ent size of shoe is to be lasted, the clamps must be changed and considerable difficulty and time is consumed for the changeover, therefore adding considerably to the cost of manufacture. Additionally, a high degree of skill is required of the operator, such as in setting up the machine and in the control of the proper degree of clamping pressure to be applied for the lasting opera tion.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel lasting machine for shoes, particularly pre-welted shoes, which is devoid of the above named disadvantages of common types of machines.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a shoe lasting machine having toe-forming and heel-forming plates which are simple and inexpensive in construction and which provide a very useful flat and firm support for the welt to permit hammering of the sole when it is provided with the usual cement and laid in position, extending over the welt.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a shoe lasting machine, forming plate means which are quickly replaceable to accommodate different sizes of shoes and which, even without replacement, will accommodate shoes of slightly different sizes within a given size range.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive shoe lasting machine having a horseshoe-shaped heel and shank forming plate of spring material for accommodating diiierent heel sizes and a cooperable toe-forming and welt-supporting plate which is readily reversible or replaceable to accommodate right or left shoes or shoes of different sizes.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a study of the following specification when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

An outstanding disadvantage 1 Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a shoe holding or lasting means involving the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken substantially along line I l-H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view looking from the right hand end as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4. is a top plan view of the heel-and-shankforming plate shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the toe-forming plate shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a wire used for pulling the shoe toward the last;

Figs. Ta, 71) and show the toe-forming plate, last mounted shoe, and heel-and-shank forming plate in associated relationship to more clearly show their interfitting and oo-operative relationship;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Fig. '71);

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of Fig. 7b, and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view which is the same as Fig. 8 except that the Wire loop is withdrawn and the toe-forming plate H is in engagement.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, numeral 5 denotes a base having rigidly mounted thereon a last stand 2 which supports a post 3, the top end of which fits into a socket of a shoe last 4.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 8, the shoe upper 5 has a welt t stitched onto its outer edge which is pulled over the last 4 by pincers. A cork filler l is cemented to an insole 3 laid on the last. If desired, however, the insole 8 may be omitted.

One of the novel features of the invention resides in the specific construction of heel-andshank-forming plate 9 shown in Fig. 4, having a flat, horizontal ledge portion 9a shaped in accordance with the contour of the heel and shank portions of the shoe so as to snugly embrace them, and a vertically extending flange portion 1% which is spaced from the shoe upper or last. The heel-and-shank forming plate 9 is thus shaped like a horseshoe and is made or" spring metal so that it will be somewhat expansible so as to accommodate slightly different sizes of heels. Ears or knob-like projections 90, may be provided to serve as handles for manually grasping and pulling the plate away from the shoe after the heel and shank are formed. Spring fingers 9d are bolted to threaded studs extending inwardly of projections 9c, 9c under ledge portion 9a so as to frictionally embrace the heel and shank portion of the shoe as plate 9 is slipped thereon. Projections 9c, 90 may be omitted, if desired.

A toe-forming and welt bracing plate H is reciprocally mounted so as to be movable towards or away from the toe portion of the shoe or last. Plate I I is slidably mounted in grooves at the top of a reciprocable stand or carriage 13. The bottom of carriage 53 has outstanding flanges which slidably engage track portions Ed rigidly mounted on base i. Springs l5, 15 are provided for normally urging the stand and plate H to the toe-engaging position. One end of each spring is secured to a cross-bar it, fixed to the carriage i9, and the other end is secured to a post ll fixed on base I.

One end of the manually operable lever 12 is pivotally mounted on a support 58 fixed to a base i. A link 21 connects lever 12 to carriage i3. Thus, manual movement of lever if! from the full to the dotted line position in Fig. 1 will move the carriage to the left and will tension springs i5. Release of the lever will allow springs 15 to return carriage is and its plate H to the toe engaging position.

Plate 4! may have two different out-out portions representing the toe portions of right and left shoes. By reversing the plate E i on carriage iii, the respective cut-out portions may be selectively engaged with the toe portion of a right or left shoe being lasted or, if desired, the out out portions may be of different sizes for making different sizes of shoes. The cut-out portions preferably have knife edges that readily extend into the inseam between the welt and upper.

In operation, when the last is slipped into the pre-welted upper and supported on the post 3, the heel and shank forming plate 9 is pushed into embracing engagement with the heel and shank portions of the shoe, as shown more clearl in Fig. 9, thereby allowing the welt to lie flat on ledge portion 9a which forms a fiat, firm rest therefor. At this time lever is is in the dotted line position and plate ii is in the retracted position with respect to the toe portion of the shoe. It will be particularly noted that no force or pressure is applied to plate 9, and no lock or catch is needed to hold it in position.

. After the quarter part of the shoe is formed and while plate H is still in the retracted position relative the toe portion of the last or upper, a loop of wire it! is slipped between the welt and upper and the toe portion thereof is pulled toward the last and against the margin of cork insole l as shown in Fig. 7b. Loop It may be pulled by a strap operated by a treadle (not shown) in a conventional manner.

Lever i2 is then lifted and unlocked from its catch or notch 25. Plate is thus released, allowing springs lli to draw and hold it firmly in place against the toe of the upper and close to plate 9 so as to form the toe portion of the shoe and to provide a firm, flat support for the entire welt, while the upper is lasted. The sole or midsole is then cemented to the upper and pounded fast. A vertical partition 13a which is integrally supported on base I and which has a cut out portion surrounding link 2! serves as a brace or support for plate Ii during such pounding. The toe forming plate i l is then withdrawn from the upper by moving lever 12 from the pull to the dotted line position of Fig. 1 against the action of springs 15 and the lever may be again locked in the latter position by dropping it behind a notch 25 formed at the end of a side plate 19. The heel-and-shank-forming plate 9 is then retracted from the lasted quarter of the shoe. Plate 5 i is thus retracted and the completed shoe is removed from the last. It will be particularly noted that there is no external pressure applied to the plate H for lasting the fore part of the shoe, also that the fore part is formed somewihat independently of the heel and shank portion. Thus any small non-alignment between the two will be unnoticeable and will not result in out of line welt marking, ripples or other imperfect markings of the shoe.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an efiicient shoe lasting machine which greatly simplifies the pre-welt lasting operation, eliminates the necessity of an experienced laster, and avoids the need of elevation adjusting mechanisms and similar adjusting means which are commonly required; furthermore, I have provided novel and useful toe, heel and shank forming plates which are simple in design and provide a firm support for the entire welt so as to permit pounding of the sole and attachment thereof to the upper, which plates are of a construction so as to accommodate different sizes of shoes within a given size range (or left and right shoes) and which are mounted so as to be readily replaced by other plates for substantially differently sized shoes without the necessity of tightening nuts, bolts or the like.

While I have illustrated and described a certain specific embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that this is by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claim:

I claim:

In a shoe making machine, a base having a shoe last stand rigidly secured thereto adapted to support a detachable shoe last, a carriage slidably mounted on said base for movement towards and away from said stand and having a one-piece toe forming flat plate detachably mounted thereon, a pair of springs, each having one end supported on one side of said base and the other end supported on the corresponding side of the carriage at one end of the base for normally urging said plate into toe-engaging relationship with the toe portion of a shoe upper mounted on said last stand, a lever pivotally mounted on the opposite end of said base for retracting said carriage and plate from toe engaging relationship with said shoe upper and against the action of said springs, and latch means extending upwardly from said base for locking said lever in the retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 452,879 Patten May 26, 1891 737,586 Cummings Sept. 1, 1903 1,136,222 Fowler Apr. 20, 1915 1,280,613 Ashton Oct. 1, 1918 1,717,928 Kaut June 18, 1929 2,100,794 Barna Nov. 30, 1937 2,112,932 Siegel Apr. 5, 1938 2,226,758 Fausse Dec. 31, 1940 2,242,245 Fausse May 20. 1941 

